The position taken by the JWs on Apostasy is an interesting one. Especially when considering their past statements over the years. At one time, there was no fear of having their doctrines examined by anyone, in fact they extended an open invitation to all. But then things changed. In this section, I will share quotes made from the JWs from past articles. I will examine the definition of Apostasy and how the wording changes with the JWs definition. And I will examine whether the word Apostasy was used in the bible the way the JWs use it in their nwt.
There was a time when the JWs were confident about their views/doctrines. They supported those that examined things closely. Here are a few quotes from past literature that show this.
"We should prove by the Word of God whether the things found in the Watchtower are from man or from the Lord." wt/5/1/1934, p.131
"The Watchtower invites careful and critical examination of its contents in light of the scriptures." wt 8/15/1950, p.263
"It is not persecution for an informed person to expose a certain religion as being false." wt 11/15/1963, p.688
"The best method of proof is to put a prophecy to the test of time and circumstances." wt 3/1/1965, p.151
"Contrary to what some may think, it is not unkind and unloving to lay bare falsehood and corruption." wt 3/1/1966, p.132
"Examine the evidence. Reasonable persons want to examine both sides of a matter. That is how one arrives at the truth." a 10/22/1973, p.6
Those are only a few of many statements over the years that basically said it was okay to dig deep for the real truth. And if you found something, you should make it known. One thing that was rarely brought up was warnings of Apostasy. But this all changed in the mid to late 1970s.
The failure of the year 1975 caused many members to leave the JWs. And the ones that remained began to raise eyebrows at what was being taught. Over the next few years, an internal witch hunt among the WT Society would see many long time members, loyal servants of the JWs, get excommunicated. Why? Apostasy!!! Ah yes, apparently now, it was considered Apostasy to question the doctrines of the JWs. Some of these individuals would go on to write books that closely examined these doctrines in question. Some knew the inner workings of the WTS (watchtower society), and shared this with the public. One man was asked to prove the 607/1914 date was correct by someone he was studying with. He promised that he would research the topic. Seven years later, he came to the conclusion that the dates were wrong. Since it was encouraged to bring any evidence of a mistake to the table, this person prepared a treatise with all of the information he had found. And for his honesty and wanting to help clarify an obvious mistake made by the WTS, he was disfellowshipped for Apostasy.
So a major change happened during this time. The once proud religion that wanted people to examine their teachings suddenly became aggressive towards anyone that did this, especially if it was one of their own. The word Apostasy began showing up in their literature. Here are a few quotes from various articles.
Have No Dealings With Apostates
7 Now, what will you do if you are confronted with apostate teachings, —subtle reasonings —claiming that what you believe as one of Jehovah's Witnesses is not the truth? For example, what will you do if you receive a letter or some literature, open it, and see right away that it is from an apostate? Will curiosity cause you to read it, just to see what he has to say? You may even reason: 'It won't affect me; I'm too strong in the truth. And, besides, if we have the truth, we have nothing to fear. The truth will stand the test.' In thinking this way, some have fed their minds upon apostate reasoning and have fallen prey to serious questioning and doubt. (Compare James 1:5-8.) So remember the warning at 1 Corinthians 10:12: "Let him that thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall."
8 With loving help from caring brothers, some having doubts sown by apostates have recovered after a period of spiritual turmoil and trauma. But this pain could have been avoided. At Proverbs 11:9 we are told: "By his mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin, but by knowledge are the righteous rescued." Jude told fellow Christians to "continue showing mercy to some that have doubts; save them by snatching them out of the fire." (Jude 22, 23) Paul advised the overseer Timothy to instruct "with mildness those not favorably disposed; as perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, and they may come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him for the will of that one."—2 Timothy 2:25, 26. Watchtower 1986 March 15 pp.10-15 'Do Not Be Quickly Shaken From Your Reason'
Watchtower 1982 April 1 p. 27 Survival or Destruction at the "Great Tribulation"Now, the Bible definitely shows that some end up in the symbolic Gehenna before the 1,000-year Judgment Day begins. Jesus told the unrepentant scribes and Pharisees that they and their Gentile proselytes were 'subjects for Gehenna' or, literally, 'sons of Gehenna.' (Matthew 23:15, 33-35; see also John 9:39-41; 15:22-24.) If even a proselyte of the Pharisees became a subject for Gehenna 'twice as much so as themselves,' how much more so Judas Iscariot, who made a heinous deal with them to betray God's Son! Jesus implied this when he called Judas "the son of destruction." (John 17:12) Similarly, unrepentant apostates go, at death, not to Sheol, or Hades, but to Gehenna. (Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Peter 2:1) The same is true of dedicated Christians who persist in willful sin or those who "shrink back." (Hebrews 10:26-31, 38, 39) These are merely examples to show that some, even in "this system of things," have committed the sin for which there is no forgiveness, not even in the system of things "to come." (Matthew 12:31, 32; compare 1 John 5:16.) They will, therefore, not be resurrected.
Watchtower 1985 July 15 p.31 "Such ones [apostates] willfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the 'antichrist.' (1 John 2:18, 19)"
Watchtower 1992 July 15 pp.12-13 Christ Hated Lawlessness-Do You? "The obligation to hate lawlessness also applies to all activity by apostates. Our attitude toward apostates should be that of David, who declared: "Do I not hate those who are intensely hating you."
Watchtower 1994 July 1 p.12 "For one thing, some of the apostate literature presents falsehoods by means of "smooth talk" and "counterfeit words." (Romans 16:17, 18; 2 Peter 2:3) What would you expect from the table of demons? ... Those who have continued to feed at Satan's spiritual table, the table of demons, will be forced to attend a literal meal, no, not as partakers, but as the main course-to their destruction!"
Watchtower 1993 November 1 p.19 "True Christians share Jehovah's feelings toward such apostates; they are not curious about apostate ideas. On the contrary, they "feel a loathing" toward those who have made themselves God's enemies, but they leave it to Jehovah to execute vengeance."
Watchtower 2000 May 1 p.10 "Some apostates are increasingly using various forms of mass communication, including the Internet, to spread false information about Jehovah's Witnesses."
Watchtower 2004 Feb 15 p.28"It would be a mistake to think that you need to listen to apostates or to read their writings to refute their arguments. Their twisted, poisonous reasoning can cause spiritual harm and can contaminate your faith like rapidly spreading gangrene. (2 Timothy 2:16, 17) Rather, imitate God's response to apostates. Job said of Jehovah: "Before him no apostate will come in." - Job 13:16."
Watchtower 2011 Jul 15 p.11 "Apostates “quietly” bring their ideas into the congregation, like criminals who secretly bring things into a country. Apostates use “counterfeit words.” This means that they say things that make their false ideas sound true, like criminals who make false documents look real. They try to get as many people as possible to believe their “deceptive teachings.” Peter also said that they like twisting the Scriptures. They explain Bible verses in the wrong way to make others believe their ideas. (2 Peter 2:1, 3, 13; 3:16) Apostates do not care about us. If we follow them, we will leave the road to everlasting life.
... The Bible says that apostates are mentally diseased and that they use their teachings to make others think like them. (1 Timothy 6:3, 4) Jehovah is like that good doctor. He clearly tells us to stay away from false teachers. We must always be determined to follow his warning.
What must we do to avoid false teachers? We do not speak to them or invite them into our houses. We also do not read their books, watch them on television, read what they write on the Internet, or add our own comments about what they write on the Internet. Why are we so determined to avoid them? First of all, it is because we love “the God of truth.” So we do not want to listen to false teachings that go against the truth in God’s Word."
Examining the Scriptures Daily 2011 Aug 18 p.83 "Satan was the first creature to turn apostate. Modern-day apostates display characteristics similar to those of the Devil. Their mind may be poisoned by a critical attitude toward individuals in the congregations, Christian elders, or the Governing Body. Some apostates oppose the use of the divine name, Jehovah. They are not interested in learning about Jehovah or in serving him. Like their father, Satan, apostates target people of integrity. (John 8:44) No wonder servants of Jehovah avoid all contact with them!"
Can you see how the attitude changed from the first quotes I posted to these ones about Apostates? Members were once encouraged to examine everything. Now they are told to avoid anything or anyone that raises questions about their doctrines, or the people that write them. The language has become very strong and bitter. Satan was the first Apostate? Apostates are mentally diseased? Apostates are like criminals? Wow....Really? Because a person finds something questionable about one of the doctrines taught by the JWs, and they want to ask about it, they can look forward to receiving this barrage of insults. By questioning them at all, not only are you just like Satan, you are also mentally diseased and are just like a criminal.
And although it was rarely brought up before the 1970s, there was this chilling quote from the 11-15-52 watchtower.
"
Being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and
also by the laws of God through Jesus Christ, we can take action against
apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets
of laws. The law of the land and God’s law through Christ forbid us to
kill apostates, even though they be members of our own flesh-and-blood
family relationship. However, God’s law requires us to recognize their
being disfellowshiped from his congregation, and this despite the fact
that the law of the land in which we live requires us under some natural
obligation to live with and have dealings with such apostates under the
same roof."
Whoa now. Let's go back to what it means to be an Apostate. Here is the definition from a common dictionary. "One who abandon's one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause."
A person can be guilty of Apostasy simply by leaving a religion. But now, notice the JWs definition of an Apostate.
"Persons who deliberately spread (stubbornly hold to and speak about) teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah's Witnesses are apostates." Pay Attention to Yourself and to All the Flock p.94
This isn't just simply leaving their religion. This is stating that if a person speaks out against a bible truth AS TAUGHT BY THE JWS, they are considered an Apostate. So what if they are teaching a false view and you see it? Well, you better not bring it up or you will be guilty of Apostasy under their definition.
This is all about control. They have built up a wall of defense, and are quick to blast anyone that approaches it. There no longer is the attitude to examine everything to find the real truth. They impose fear tactics by describing Apostates as assisting Satan, being unworthy of a resurrection, to be avoided, loathed and hated, referring to former Witnesses that speak out against the Watchtower Society or its doctrine. Oh, and let's not forget that they are mentally diseased.
Interestingly enough, a quote from their own literature shows just how hypocritical they are.
Awake June 22, 2000 'The Manipulation of Information'
"Some people insult those who disagree with them by questioning character or motives instead of focusing on the facts. Name-calling slaps a negative, easy-to-remember label onto a person, a group, or an idea. The name-caller hopes that the label will stick. If people reject the person or the idea on the basis of the negative label instead of weighing the evidence for themselves, the name-caller’s strategy has worked."
By slapping the Apostate label on anyone that even questions their teachings, they hope that their current members will reject anything that person brings forth as factual evidence without even examining what is there.
They have even gone to the trouble of putting the word Apostate in the bible, where it never existed in the first place. These are the verses where the NWT uses the word apostate: Job 8:13, 13:16, 17:8, 20:5, 27:8, 34:30, 36:13, Psalms 35:16, Prov. 11:9, and Isa. 10:6. The Hebrew word used in all of these verses is חנף "chanef" which actually means godless, hypocrite, wicked, or evil doer. If you look up those verses in any other Bible translation, none use the word apostate. Let's test this out, shall we???
Job 8:13--Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. NIV
If we cross reference this with other bibles, most use the word godless or hypocrite. Feel free to examine this yourself. Here are the rest of the ones listed.
Job 13:16--Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare
come before him!
Job 17:8--Upright men are appalled at this; the innocent are aroused against the ungodly.
Job 20:5--that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a
moment.
Job 27:8--For what hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
Job 34:30--to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people.
Job 36:13--"The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not
cry for help.
Psalms 35:16--Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me.
Proverbs 11:9--With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the
righteous escape.
Isaiah 10:6--I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger
me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the
streets.
Godless is not the same as being an Apostate. A godless person does not recognize or worship a god. For them, no god exists, so why worship a non-existing deity?
A Hypocrite is not the same as an Apostate either. Hypocrites pretend to be something that they are not. A hypocrite would not turn against their religion. They would continue on, posing as a member even though they did not share the same beliefs. Ironically, by forcing current members of the JW community to stay silent, many of them fall into this category should they question the doctrines, yet refuse to speak out against them. They do not want to be branded an Apostate an get cut off from associating with their families and loved ones.
The truth should be able to stand on its own merits. So why should a person be threatened from examining all the evidence in order to find the truth? Why do the JWs not allow current members to ask questions about doctrines without asking them if they have been studying Apostate literature? What are they afraid of? If God is backing them, guiding them along with His holy spirit, wouldn't that have an effect on those interested in wanting to learn as much as possible? Those seeking the truth about God?
Simple answer to all of those questions. The JWs have been proven wrong. Their doctrines are false. And the fact that they threaten their current members with Apostasy so a person won't want to examine the evidence shows that they KNOW this. And that is very pathetic.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Did the 1st Century Christians Follow a Governing Body?
The claim made by the witnesses is the following:
"While all anointed Christians collectively form God's household, there is abundant evidence that Christ chose a small number of men out of the slave class to serve as a visible governing body. The early history of the congregation shows that the 12 apostles, including Matthias, were the foundation of the first-century governing body." Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.11
Abundant evidence? Really? If there was an abundant amount of evidence, why does the term "governing body" not appear a single time in the bible? Wouldn't there have been some sort of qualifications that needed to be listed for future generations to keep this governing body intact?
The real facts show that this governing body never existed. Consider the history of the christians. They began in utter disarray, and had to be constantly told what they needed to be doing. Congregations were not firmly established yet. Doctrines were argued and fought over. There was a constant confusion about issues that would seem to us as relatively simple, such as the resurrection of Christ, and what the meaning was behind it. If there were a Governing Body leading the way, why didn't the people look to them for clarification?
There is only one example of any gathering together to clarify an issue. This happened in Acts 15 when the matter of the Jews wanting the Gentiles to be circumcised caused controversy. But notice how the bible says just who attended this meeting.
"Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question."
(appointed by whom? A governing body? Nope, just the local church where the dispute happened)
"When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them."
(Reported to a governing body? Nope. They shared their experiences with the Gentiles in order to win the dispute)
So a couple of missionaries along with some other believers were allowed to meet and discuss the matter with not only the 12 apostles, but elders from Jerusalem. This is nothing like the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. As states the following article:
"Naturally, all elders must submit to Christ's "right hand" of control, guidance, and direction, which he exercises by means of the spirit and the spirit-begotten members of the Governing Body." Watchtower 1987 Aug 1 p.19
But how was the matter resolved back in Acts 15? In verse 19, James was the one that made the final decision. No vote was taken, at least there was nothing mentioned of any final discussion among the 12 apostles, who were supposedly members of the governing body. This would have been the chapter to highlight a final decision made by this group of leaders. But that never happened. Letters were sent out clarifying what had happened, and the 4 decrees were listed to keep the peace between the Jews and Gentiles.
Since no governing body was mentioned regarding a dispute that required a gathering of the more prominent ones from the christians, what about the directing of missionaries? Well, the first (and only) person to look at is Paul, who was the most influential christian from the 1st century. Galatians 1:1 says:
"This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead."
No human authority......like say...a governing body?
How about verses 11 and 12 of the same chapter.
"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
If a governing body were present back then, wouldn't this statement warrant an immediate disfellowshipping?
How about one more. Verses 15-20.
"But when God, who set me apart from birtha and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
"While all anointed Christians collectively form God's household, there is abundant evidence that Christ chose a small number of men out of the slave class to serve as a visible governing body. The early history of the congregation shows that the 12 apostles, including Matthias, were the foundation of the first-century governing body." Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.11
Abundant evidence? Really? If there was an abundant amount of evidence, why does the term "governing body" not appear a single time in the bible? Wouldn't there have been some sort of qualifications that needed to be listed for future generations to keep this governing body intact?
The real facts show that this governing body never existed. Consider the history of the christians. They began in utter disarray, and had to be constantly told what they needed to be doing. Congregations were not firmly established yet. Doctrines were argued and fought over. There was a constant confusion about issues that would seem to us as relatively simple, such as the resurrection of Christ, and what the meaning was behind it. If there were a Governing Body leading the way, why didn't the people look to them for clarification?
There is only one example of any gathering together to clarify an issue. This happened in Acts 15 when the matter of the Jews wanting the Gentiles to be circumcised caused controversy. But notice how the bible says just who attended this meeting.
"Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question."
(appointed by whom? A governing body? Nope, just the local church where the dispute happened)
"When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them."
(Reported to a governing body? Nope. They shared their experiences with the Gentiles in order to win the dispute)
So a couple of missionaries along with some other believers were allowed to meet and discuss the matter with not only the 12 apostles, but elders from Jerusalem. This is nothing like the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times. As states the following article:
"Naturally, all elders must submit to Christ's "right hand" of control, guidance, and direction, which he exercises by means of the spirit and the spirit-begotten members of the Governing Body." Watchtower 1987 Aug 1 p.19
But how was the matter resolved back in Acts 15? In verse 19, James was the one that made the final decision. No vote was taken, at least there was nothing mentioned of any final discussion among the 12 apostles, who were supposedly members of the governing body. This would have been the chapter to highlight a final decision made by this group of leaders. But that never happened. Letters were sent out clarifying what had happened, and the 4 decrees were listed to keep the peace between the Jews and Gentiles.
Since no governing body was mentioned regarding a dispute that required a gathering of the more prominent ones from the christians, what about the directing of missionaries? Well, the first (and only) person to look at is Paul, who was the most influential christian from the 1st century. Galatians 1:1 says:
"This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead."
No human authority......like say...a governing body?
How about verses 11 and 12 of the same chapter.
"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."
If a governing body were present back then, wouldn't this statement warrant an immediate disfellowshipping?
How about one more. Verses 15-20.
"But when God, who set me apart from birtha and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem
to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the
Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing
you is no lie."
And there you have it. Paul made it very clear that he did not consult with anyone, even those apostles up there in Jerusalem....the supposed governing body. Not until 3 years later, and that was to get aquainted with Peter and James.
So if Paul wasn't being consulted by any governing body, do you think his fellow missionaries were any different?
Why would Jesus say:
Why would Jesus say:
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
if a governing body was needed?
So a person really needs to question this governing body claim. If the modern day standard is that a governing body runs the organization, and--"To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it." Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12
why can we not find any facts, or abundant evidence of any governing body in the 1st century? There seems to be a pretty big piece of this puzzle missing.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Guided By Holy Spirt, Yet Uninspired?
It is a strange concept that the JWs are leaning on. But you can find it plastered throughout their literature. They do, in fact, claim to be guided by the holy spirit. Naturally this claim would be made. Really, who would follow a religion that claimed that the holy spirit was not guiding them? We can check out a few quotes pulled from various articles.
"We will also increase our joy if we prayerfully and diligently study God's spirit - inspired Word and Christian publications prepared under the spirit's guidance." Watchtower1992 Mar 15 pp.21-22
"When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of the faithful and discreet slave at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13) The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. (Acts 15:6) What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all." Watchtower 2010 Jul 15 pp.22-23
"Under the guidance of his holy spirit and on the basis of his Word of truth, Jehovah provides what is needed so that all of God's people may be "fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought" and remain "stabilized in the faith." (1 Cor. 1:10; Col. 2:6, 7) Surely we are grateful for Jehovah's spiritual provisions in these last days. Thus, "the faithful and discreet slave" does not endorse any literature, meetings, or Web sites that are not produced or organized under its oversight."
Kingdom Ministry Sep 2007 US Edition
"Third, holy spirit is at work in bringing Bible truths to light." Watchtower 2010 Apr 15 p.10 Holy Spirits Role in the Outworking of Jehovahs Purpose
"Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God's holy spirit or active force. Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402
"The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in The Watchtower. God feeds his own people, and surely God uses those who love and serve him according to his own will. Those who oppose The Watchtower are not capable of discerning the truth that God is giving to the children of his organization, and this is the very strongest proof that such opposers are not of God's organization." Watchtower 1931 Nov 1 p.327
"It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision." Watchtower 1957 Jun 15 p.370
It is very clear that the JWs believe that God's holy spirit is guiding them in all of their decisions, literature, interpretations, and that any member of the JW community must follow the direction of the slave class representatives since the spirit is guiding them.
But then they claim that they are not infallible, that they are not inspired by God.
"The Governing Body consists of a group of anointed Christian men These preside over the worldwide activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. They are not inspired by God and hence are not infallible, but they rely on God's infallible Word as the highest authority on earth." Jehovah's Witnesses - Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide p.26
"The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers." Awake! 1993 Mar 22 p.4
If you look up the definition of each word, you will see that it is impossible to claim that you can be guided by the holy spirit but remain uninspired by God. Note the following.
Definition of Infallible.
Synonyms-- perfect, right, flawless, correct, exact, faultless, accurate, unerring, unfailing.
Definition of Inspire.
So to claim that God is using His holy spirit to guide them, by definition it is pretty easy to see that this would also mean that God is inspiring them. Why would God use the holy spirit to guide them into false understandings of His written word, the bible, and then allow them to preach these false understandings to the public for several years? Yet it is this reasoning that allowed them to make the following claims.
"Jehovah God has made known to his anointed ones in advance what these scriptures mean." Watchtower 1931 Jun 1 p.160
"Jehovah's people confess no powers of inspiration today" Watchtower 1952 Apr 15 p.253
HUH??? That makes no sense to anyone that looks into this matter without realizing WHY they use this line of reasoning. The reason is very simple. They do this to cover over past errors. They do not want to explain why they made errors in interpretations after claiming that God's holy spirit guides them into proper understanding of the bible. They even try to reinforce the idea that they make no mistakes with comments such as,
"To this day the Governing Body follows similar guidelines. Each article in both The Watchtower and Awake! and every page, including the artwork, is scrutinized by selected members of the Governing Body before it is printed. Therefore, you can read The Watchtower and Awake! with confidence." Watchtower 1987 Mar 1 p.15
"Christ used his authority by actively leading his congregation on earth. He did this by means of the holy spirit, the angels, and the governing body made up of the 12 apostles and the elders of the Jerusalem congregation. Jesus stated that he would be with his disciples right up to the conclusion of the system of things, where we now are. In the following article, we will see how he is still the active Head of the Christian congregation and how he is leading his "sheep" today." Watchtower 1987 Aug 1 p.15
So apparently even though Jesus is actively leading his congregation, and he would be with them right up to the end of this system of things, they remain uninspired. And these uninspired ones can examine their own literature and filter out any mistake found. So you should be confident that what you are reading is correct.....except it might not be because they are not inspired by God.
If you are a current member of the JW religion, how confident are you to follow them when they claim that God is guiding them, giving them a proper understanding, yet in the same breath can claim to be not inspired (or guided) by God? Not only is that a lie, it is a very deceptive manuever to cover over past mistakes that expose them as a false religion.
Consider this quote from the May 1, 1997 watchtower p. 8
JEHOVAH GOD is the Grand Identifier of his true messengers. He identifies them by making the messages he delivers through them come true. Jehovah is also the Great Exposer of false messengers. How does he expose them? He frustrates their signs and predictions. In this way he shows that they are self-appointed prognosticators, whose messages really spring from their own false reasoning—yes, their foolish, fleshly thinking!
By their own words, the jws state that Jehovah frustrates the signs and predictions made by false messengers. Yet there is no mention of human imperfection or being uninspired when they apply this to others. If you can't see the blatant hypocrisy of the jws, you need to take off the blinders that you are wearing and look again. Their own literature has exposed them once again.
"We will also increase our joy if we prayerfully and diligently study God's spirit - inspired Word and Christian publications prepared under the spirit's guidance." Watchtower1992 Mar 15 pp.21-22
"When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of the faithful and discreet slave at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13) The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. (Acts 15:6) What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all." Watchtower 2010 Jul 15 pp.22-23
"Under the guidance of his holy spirit and on the basis of his Word of truth, Jehovah provides what is needed so that all of God's people may be "fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought" and remain "stabilized in the faith." (1 Cor. 1:10; Col. 2:6, 7) Surely we are grateful for Jehovah's spiritual provisions in these last days. Thus, "the faithful and discreet slave" does not endorse any literature, meetings, or Web sites that are not produced or organized under its oversight."
Kingdom Ministry Sep 2007 US Edition
"Third, holy spirit is at work in bringing Bible truths to light." Watchtower 2010 Apr 15 p.10 Holy Spirits Role in the Outworking of Jehovahs Purpose
"Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God's holy spirit or active force. Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402
"The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in The Watchtower. God feeds his own people, and surely God uses those who love and serve him according to his own will. Those who oppose The Watchtower are not capable of discerning the truth that God is giving to the children of his organization, and this is the very strongest proof that such opposers are not of God's organization." Watchtower 1931 Nov 1 p.327
"It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision." Watchtower 1957 Jun 15 p.370
It is very clear that the JWs believe that God's holy spirit is guiding them in all of their decisions, literature, interpretations, and that any member of the JW community must follow the direction of the slave class representatives since the spirit is guiding them.
But then they claim that they are not infallible, that they are not inspired by God.
"The Governing Body consists of a group of anointed Christian men These preside over the worldwide activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. They are not inspired by God and hence are not infallible, but they rely on God's infallible Word as the highest authority on earth." Jehovah's Witnesses - Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide p.26
"The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers." Awake! 1993 Mar 22 p.4
If you look up the definition of each word, you will see that it is impossible to claim that you can be guided by the holy spirit but remain uninspired by God. Note the following.
Definition of Infallible.
1. not erring: incapable of making a mistake
2. incapable of failing: certain not to fail
3. unerring in doctrine: incapable of being mistaken in matters of doctrine and dogma
Synonyms-- perfect, right, flawless, correct, exact, faultless, accurate, unerring, unfailing.
Definition of Inspire.
1. stimulate somebody to do something: to encourage somebody to greater effort, enthusiasm, or creativity
2. provoke particular feeling: to arouse a particular feeling in somebody
3. cause creative activity: to stimulate somebody to do something, especially creative or artistic work
4. to affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence
So to claim that God is using His holy spirit to guide them, by definition it is pretty easy to see that this would also mean that God is inspiring them. Why would God use the holy spirit to guide them into false understandings of His written word, the bible, and then allow them to preach these false understandings to the public for several years? Yet it is this reasoning that allowed them to make the following claims.
"Jehovah God has made known to his anointed ones in advance what these scriptures mean." Watchtower 1931 Jun 1 p.160
"Jehovah's people confess no powers of inspiration today" Watchtower 1952 Apr 15 p.253
HUH??? That makes no sense to anyone that looks into this matter without realizing WHY they use this line of reasoning. The reason is very simple. They do this to cover over past errors. They do not want to explain why they made errors in interpretations after claiming that God's holy spirit guides them into proper understanding of the bible. They even try to reinforce the idea that they make no mistakes with comments such as,
"To this day the Governing Body follows similar guidelines. Each article in both The Watchtower and Awake! and every page, including the artwork, is scrutinized by selected members of the Governing Body before it is printed. Therefore, you can read The Watchtower and Awake! with confidence." Watchtower 1987 Mar 1 p.15
"Christ used his authority by actively leading his congregation on earth. He did this by means of the holy spirit, the angels, and the governing body made up of the 12 apostles and the elders of the Jerusalem congregation. Jesus stated that he would be with his disciples right up to the conclusion of the system of things, where we now are. In the following article, we will see how he is still the active Head of the Christian congregation and how he is leading his "sheep" today." Watchtower 1987 Aug 1 p.15
So apparently even though Jesus is actively leading his congregation, and he would be with them right up to the end of this system of things, they remain uninspired. And these uninspired ones can examine their own literature and filter out any mistake found. So you should be confident that what you are reading is correct.....except it might not be because they are not inspired by God.
If you are a current member of the JW religion, how confident are you to follow them when they claim that God is guiding them, giving them a proper understanding, yet in the same breath can claim to be not inspired (or guided) by God? Not only is that a lie, it is a very deceptive manuever to cover over past mistakes that expose them as a false religion.
Consider this quote from the May 1, 1997 watchtower p. 8
JEHOVAH GOD is the Grand Identifier of his true messengers. He identifies them by making the messages he delivers through them come true. Jehovah is also the Great Exposer of false messengers. How does he expose them? He frustrates their signs and predictions. In this way he shows that they are self-appointed prognosticators, whose messages really spring from their own false reasoning—yes, their foolish, fleshly thinking!
By their own words, the jws state that Jehovah frustrates the signs and predictions made by false messengers. Yet there is no mention of human imperfection or being uninspired when they apply this to others. If you can't see the blatant hypocrisy of the jws, you need to take off the blinders that you are wearing and look again. Their own literature has exposed them once again.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Paradise Earth?
The phrase is quite common in the jw realm. It is, after all, the grand prize for those that are considered to be part of the Great Crowd. If you make it past Armageddon, you will be one of the first ones to enter that new world, but even if you should die, you can be resurrected and join the survivors later on. That is their selling pitch for you to convert to their religion. The prospect of living forever in a paradise earth is a very appealing concept to the average person that struggles along in our modern day world.
It is important then, if this is a realistic possibilty, to examine this from some different perspectives. These are the points I will be covering on this topic.
1. The actual scriptures with the word "paradise" in it.
2. The Genesis account.
3. The time beyond the 1,000 years according to Revelation.
There are only 4 verses in the New World Translation bible mentioning paradise.
Song of Solomon 4:13--Your skin is a paradise of pomegranates, with the choicest fruits, henna plants along with spikenard plants;
This one cannot be used to support the claim since it is describing a woman's beauty.
Luke 23: 42, 43--And he went on to say: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.” And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.”
How can he "be with Jesus" if he is on earth while Jesus is in heaven? One could argue that Jesus would be with him in spirit, but there are too many verses in opposition to that line of reasoning. (see Matt. 5:11-12, 6:20-21, 7:21, 8:11, 19:21, 1 Cor. 15:42-50, Hebrews 11:13-16, etc.)
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 "I know a man in union with Christ who, fourteen years ago-whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know; God knows-was caught away as such to the third heaven. 3 Yes, I know such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows- 4 that he was caught away into paradise and heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak."
Caught away to heaven? Caught away to paradise? You be the judge.
Revelation 2:7 "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
But the watchtower has already identified this as heaven.
"Eating in "the Paradise of God." Revelation 2:7 mentions a "tree of life" in "the paradise of God" and that eating from it would be the privilege of the one "that conquers." Since other promises given in this section of Revelation to such conquering ones clearly relate to their gaining a heavenly inheritance (Re 2:26-28; 3:12, 21), it seems evident that "the paradise of God" in this case is a heavenly one." Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2 p.576 Paradise
From those 4 verses, can it really be argued that paradise is referring to life on earth? It seems that paradise points more towards heaven than it does the earth.
In the Genesis account, the instructions were as follows.
Gen 1: 28--Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”
Filling the earth and subduing it does not mean turning it into a paradise. It would be speculative reasoning to assume to know what God had intended for Adam and Eve had they not sinned. Although they began in a place called Eden, which is synonymous with paradise, there is nothing stated that the entire world was intended to be the same.
The final point to consider is found in Revelation. Chapter 20 indicates that after the 1,000 years are over, Satan is let loose once more. And again, he proceeds to turn the majority of humankind against God's people. God then sends fire from heaven down to consume the bad guys.
First, how can this happen if the world was to be made a paradise forever? Second, how could they be surrounding the beloved city if that city was in heaven? And last, does this sound like everlasting life in a paradise world?
It is important then, if this is a realistic possibilty, to examine this from some different perspectives. These are the points I will be covering on this topic.
1. The actual scriptures with the word "paradise" in it.
2. The Genesis account.
3. The time beyond the 1,000 years according to Revelation.
There are only 4 verses in the New World Translation bible mentioning paradise.
Song of Solomon 4:13--Your skin is a paradise of pomegranates, with the choicest fruits, henna plants along with spikenard plants;
This one cannot be used to support the claim since it is describing a woman's beauty.
Luke 23: 42, 43--And he went on to say: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.” And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.”
How can he "be with Jesus" if he is on earth while Jesus is in heaven? One could argue that Jesus would be with him in spirit, but there are too many verses in opposition to that line of reasoning. (see Matt. 5:11-12, 6:20-21, 7:21, 8:11, 19:21, 1 Cor. 15:42-50, Hebrews 11:13-16, etc.)
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 "I know a man in union with Christ who, fourteen years ago-whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know; God knows-was caught away as such to the third heaven. 3 Yes, I know such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows- 4 that he was caught away into paradise and heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak."
Caught away to heaven? Caught away to paradise? You be the judge.
Revelation 2:7 "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
But the watchtower has already identified this as heaven.
"Eating in "the Paradise of God." Revelation 2:7 mentions a "tree of life" in "the paradise of God" and that eating from it would be the privilege of the one "that conquers." Since other promises given in this section of Revelation to such conquering ones clearly relate to their gaining a heavenly inheritance (Re 2:26-28; 3:12, 21), it seems evident that "the paradise of God" in this case is a heavenly one." Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2 p.576 Paradise
From those 4 verses, can it really be argued that paradise is referring to life on earth? It seems that paradise points more towards heaven than it does the earth.
In the Genesis account, the instructions were as follows.
Gen 1: 28--Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”
Filling the earth and subduing it does not mean turning it into a paradise. It would be speculative reasoning to assume to know what God had intended for Adam and Eve had they not sinned. Although they began in a place called Eden, which is synonymous with paradise, there is nothing stated that the entire world was intended to be the same.
The final point to consider is found in Revelation. Chapter 20 indicates that after the 1,000 years are over, Satan is let loose once more. And again, he proceeds to turn the majority of humankind against God's people. God then sends fire from heaven down to consume the bad guys.
First, how can this happen if the world was to be made a paradise forever? Second, how could they be surrounding the beloved city if that city was in heaven? And last, does this sound like everlasting life in a paradise world?
Saturday, April 14, 2012
70 Weeks!
The jws explanation of the 70 weeks prophecy is fairly similar to other religions. 7 weeks, followed by 62 weeks, followed by 1 week. But as we will see, the differences will expose just how deceitful the Watchtower Society is. It also will raise more issues with the 1914 date. First, let's see how the jws explain this prophecy.
They cite 3 noteworty events that need to be considered with regards to the beginning of the 70 weeks. First, Cyrus the King of Persia issued a decree in 537 bce that freed the Jews, allowing them to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Second, during the 7th year of Artaxerxes, the King of Persia, Ezra carried a letter written by the King to Jerusalem allowing the Jews to beautify the temple. And third, during the 20th year of Artaxerxes, word was given to restore Jerusalem.
Thus the beginning of the 70 weeks prophecy. 7 weeks to finish rebuilding Jerusalem, 62 weeks for the Messiah to appear, and 1 week for the Messiah to be cut off. So far, so good. But here is the part where the jws explanation begins to unravel.
They use the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar. That throws the years off already. But instead of recognizing this error and "adjusting their thinking" or "admitting their mistake" as they claim to do, they attempt to claim that Artaxerxes began his rule 10 years earlier. Of course, for that to be possible, they attempt to say that his predecessor Xerxes was in a coregency with his father Darius. Quoting Herodotus, they state, " There is solid evidence for a coregency of Xerxes with his father Darius. The Greek historian Herodotus (VII, 3) says: "Darius judged his [Xerxes’] plea [for kingship] to be just and declared him king. But to my thinking Xerxes would have been made king even without this advice."This indicates that Xerxes was made king during the reign of his father Darius." Of course, once again, any careful review of a WT Society quote attempt shows that they attempt to distort the true fact from the reader. Herodotus proves this in his next few sentences, "Xerxes, then, was publicly proclaimed as next in succession to the crown, and Darius was free to turn his attention to the war. Death, however, cut him off before his preparations were complete; he died in the year following this incident and the Egyptian rebellion, after a reign of thirtysix years, and so was robbed of his chance to punish either Egypt or the Athenians. After his death the crown passed to his son Xerxes."
If Darius died only one year after naming Xerxes as his successor, that destroys the claim of some 10 year coregency between the two.
And then there is the flight of Themistocles. He was an Athenian general that fell out of favor with the Greeks and was accused of treason. He fled and eventually ended up in Persia. The claim is that he met with Artaxerxes not long after he had become King, and that Themistocles died in 471 bce. However, Plutarch writes that other historians note that it was Xerxes that met Themistocles.
Carl Olof Jonsson writes the following:"The Watch Tower Society, then, conceals that Plutarch goes on to say that a number of ancient historians had written about this event, and that most of them stated that Xerxes, not Artaxerxes, was on the throne when Themistocles came to Persia. Although Plutarch (c 46-120 A.D.) felt that Thucydides was more reliable, he stresses that the chronological data were by no means securely established. One fact that usually seems to be ignored is that Thucydides wrote his story about Themistocles’ flight some time after 406 BC, or about two generations after the event. He contradicts himself several times in this narrative, which shows that his information on the subject cannot be trusted. (On this, see the Cambridge Ancient History, V, 1992, p. 14.)
But even if Themistocles really may have met Artaxerxes, there is nothing to show that this occurred in the 470’s. There is no evidence whatsoever in support of the claim that Themistocles died in 471/70 BC. None of the sources referred to by the Society says so, and some of them, including Plutarch, clearly show that he died much later, in about 459 BC. (Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2-5) A considerable time passed after the attempt to defame Themistocles in Athens in the archonship of Praxiergus (471/70 BC) until his interview with Artaxerxes (or Xerxes). It took several attempts before the enemies of Themistocles succeeded and forced him to flee, first from Athens and finally from Greece. Cambridge Ancient History (Vol. 5, pp. 62ff.) dates this flight to 569 BC. He first fled to some friends in Asia Minor, where he stayed for some time. The Society quotes Diodorus Siculus in support of the 471/70 date for the beginning of the defamation of Themistocles, but avoids to mention Diodorus’ statement that, on Themistocles’ arrival in Asia Minor, Xerxes was still on the throne in Persia! (Diodorus Siculus, XI:54-59) This, of course, conflicts with Thucydides’ statement that Themistocles’ letter from Asia Minor was sent to Artaxerxes.
After some time, evidently after some years, in Asia Minor, Themistocles finally went to Persia. There he first spent one year studying the language before his meeting with the king. This meeting may have occured toward the end of 465 BC or early in 464 BC. As historian A. T. Olmstead argues, Xerxes may very well have been on the throne when Themistocles arrived in Persia, but may have died shortly afterwards, so that Themistocles, after his year of learning the language, met Artaxerxes. In this way the conflicting statements by the ancient historians may at least partially be harmonized.
After his meeting with the Persian king, Themistocles settled in the city of Magnesia, where he lived on for some years before he died. (Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2-5) It is completely impossible, therefore, to date his death to 471/70 BC, as done by the Watch Tower Society."
There are also several astronomical diaries that confirm the years of when Xerxes and Artaxerxes reigned as King. I'm not going to list them all, but there are many of them.
This is strong proof that the Watchtower Society will stoop to deception in an attempt to change history. what they do not realize is that by changing the reigns of the Persian Kings, it would also throw off the 607/1914 dates. The Persian dates are essential in attempting to establish the backbone of their religion, so it makes one wonder why they would attempt to mess with that particular history. It is the exact same claims that were made about the reigns of the Babylonian Kings. But those claims have been proven false.
They cite 3 noteworty events that need to be considered with regards to the beginning of the 70 weeks. First, Cyrus the King of Persia issued a decree in 537 bce that freed the Jews, allowing them to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Second, during the 7th year of Artaxerxes, the King of Persia, Ezra carried a letter written by the King to Jerusalem allowing the Jews to beautify the temple. And third, during the 20th year of Artaxerxes, word was given to restore Jerusalem.
Thus the beginning of the 70 weeks prophecy. 7 weeks to finish rebuilding Jerusalem, 62 weeks for the Messiah to appear, and 1 week for the Messiah to be cut off. So far, so good. But here is the part where the jws explanation begins to unravel.
They use the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar. That throws the years off already. But instead of recognizing this error and "adjusting their thinking" or "admitting their mistake" as they claim to do, they attempt to claim that Artaxerxes began his rule 10 years earlier. Of course, for that to be possible, they attempt to say that his predecessor Xerxes was in a coregency with his father Darius. Quoting Herodotus, they state, " There is solid evidence for a coregency of Xerxes with his father Darius. The Greek historian Herodotus (VII, 3) says: "Darius judged his [Xerxes’] plea [for kingship] to be just and declared him king. But to my thinking Xerxes would have been made king even without this advice."This indicates that Xerxes was made king during the reign of his father Darius." Of course, once again, any careful review of a WT Society quote attempt shows that they attempt to distort the true fact from the reader. Herodotus proves this in his next few sentences, "Xerxes, then, was publicly proclaimed as next in succession to the crown, and Darius was free to turn his attention to the war. Death, however, cut him off before his preparations were complete; he died in the year following this incident and the Egyptian rebellion, after a reign of thirtysix years, and so was robbed of his chance to punish either Egypt or the Athenians. After his death the crown passed to his son Xerxes."
If Darius died only one year after naming Xerxes as his successor, that destroys the claim of some 10 year coregency between the two.
And then there is the flight of Themistocles. He was an Athenian general that fell out of favor with the Greeks and was accused of treason. He fled and eventually ended up in Persia. The claim is that he met with Artaxerxes not long after he had become King, and that Themistocles died in 471 bce. However, Plutarch writes that other historians note that it was Xerxes that met Themistocles.
Carl Olof Jonsson writes the following:"The Watch Tower Society, then, conceals that Plutarch goes on to say that a number of ancient historians had written about this event, and that most of them stated that Xerxes, not Artaxerxes, was on the throne when Themistocles came to Persia. Although Plutarch (c 46-120 A.D.) felt that Thucydides was more reliable, he stresses that the chronological data were by no means securely established. One fact that usually seems to be ignored is that Thucydides wrote his story about Themistocles’ flight some time after 406 BC, or about two generations after the event. He contradicts himself several times in this narrative, which shows that his information on the subject cannot be trusted. (On this, see the Cambridge Ancient History, V, 1992, p. 14.)
But even if Themistocles really may have met Artaxerxes, there is nothing to show that this occurred in the 470’s. There is no evidence whatsoever in support of the claim that Themistocles died in 471/70 BC. None of the sources referred to by the Society says so, and some of them, including Plutarch, clearly show that he died much later, in about 459 BC. (Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2-5) A considerable time passed after the attempt to defame Themistocles in Athens in the archonship of Praxiergus (471/70 BC) until his interview with Artaxerxes (or Xerxes). It took several attempts before the enemies of Themistocles succeeded and forced him to flee, first from Athens and finally from Greece. Cambridge Ancient History (Vol. 5, pp. 62ff.) dates this flight to 569 BC. He first fled to some friends in Asia Minor, where he stayed for some time. The Society quotes Diodorus Siculus in support of the 471/70 date for the beginning of the defamation of Themistocles, but avoids to mention Diodorus’ statement that, on Themistocles’ arrival in Asia Minor, Xerxes was still on the throne in Persia! (Diodorus Siculus, XI:54-59) This, of course, conflicts with Thucydides’ statement that Themistocles’ letter from Asia Minor was sent to Artaxerxes.
After some time, evidently after some years, in Asia Minor, Themistocles finally went to Persia. There he first spent one year studying the language before his meeting with the king. This meeting may have occured toward the end of 465 BC or early in 464 BC. As historian A. T. Olmstead argues, Xerxes may very well have been on the throne when Themistocles arrived in Persia, but may have died shortly afterwards, so that Themistocles, after his year of learning the language, met Artaxerxes. In this way the conflicting statements by the ancient historians may at least partially be harmonized.
After his meeting with the Persian king, Themistocles settled in the city of Magnesia, where he lived on for some years before he died. (Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2-5) It is completely impossible, therefore, to date his death to 471/70 BC, as done by the Watch Tower Society."
There are also several astronomical diaries that confirm the years of when Xerxes and Artaxerxes reigned as King. I'm not going to list them all, but there are many of them.
This is strong proof that the Watchtower Society will stoop to deception in an attempt to change history. what they do not realize is that by changing the reigns of the Persian Kings, it would also throw off the 607/1914 dates. The Persian dates are essential in attempting to establish the backbone of their religion, so it makes one wonder why they would attempt to mess with that particular history. It is the exact same claims that were made about the reigns of the Babylonian Kings. But those claims have been proven false.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Resurrection, Why Bother?
Acts 24:15 says that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. Other verses share this view.
Daniel 12:2--Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 25:46--"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
John 5:28, 29--"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
So the good folks being raised get rewarded with eternal life. This is understandable since these people would have earned this by their deeds. But what does not make sense to me is the eternal punishment of the bad people.
First of all, the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) Once a person dies, their sins are payed for. So what would be the point of bringing them back? To judge them again and then kill them? Proverbs 11:19 says--"The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death." I don't subscribe to the hellfire doctrine as it appears that the penalty for wicked deeds is death.
There is another point to consider that makes this scenario even more unrealistic. Read Revelation chapter 20 and as you do, note each point being made. Here is the outline that I jotted down in case you are feeling lazy.
1. Satan is tossed into the Abyss for 1000 years.
2. Chosen ones get to rule with Christ for 1000 years.
3. The rest of the dead do not get resurrected until the 1000 years has ended.
4. Satan is let loose after the 1000 years has ended.
5. Satan deceives the majority of humankind once again.
6. Satan and his horde of evil humans march on God's city.
7. Fire consumes the attacking army.
8. Satan is tossed into a lake of burning sulphur.
9. They will be tormented day and night forever.
10. The dead are judged and the ones not found in the book of life are thrown into the lake of fire.
How many things can you find wrong with this list? For starters, Satan is let loose at the same time that the rest of the dead, otherwise known as the earthly subjects, are brought back to life. So how difficult do you think it will be for Satan to deceive the majority of humankind that he already fooled once? Pretty easy since it says their number will be like the sand on the seashore. Then there is the human horde getting consumed by fire. Since this army is the majority of humankind, and this happens before the actual judging occurs, who of the unrighteous will there be left to judge?
The jws teach that the dead will be brought back during the 1000 years. And it is during the 1000 years that they will be brought back to perfection. They say that if this is not the case, the anointed would be ruling over a desolate globe.
Like every other topic, the jws miss the obvious. Verse 5 blows away their speculative reasoning. Maybe they forgot about the Armageddon survivors. They try to use Eph. 2:1 to back up this claim. But if you read the verse in context with the surrounding verses, it is obviously talking about the ones ruling with Christ in heaven.
The thought of resurrecting someone just to inform them of their evil deeds and then kill them again does not make any sense. Especially since their sin would have been paid for from dying the first time.
Daniel 12:2--Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 25:46--"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
John 5:28, 29--"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
So the good folks being raised get rewarded with eternal life. This is understandable since these people would have earned this by their deeds. But what does not make sense to me is the eternal punishment of the bad people.
First of all, the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) Once a person dies, their sins are payed for. So what would be the point of bringing them back? To judge them again and then kill them? Proverbs 11:19 says--"The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death." I don't subscribe to the hellfire doctrine as it appears that the penalty for wicked deeds is death.
There is another point to consider that makes this scenario even more unrealistic. Read Revelation chapter 20 and as you do, note each point being made. Here is the outline that I jotted down in case you are feeling lazy.
1. Satan is tossed into the Abyss for 1000 years.
2. Chosen ones get to rule with Christ for 1000 years.
3. The rest of the dead do not get resurrected until the 1000 years has ended.
4. Satan is let loose after the 1000 years has ended.
5. Satan deceives the majority of humankind once again.
6. Satan and his horde of evil humans march on God's city.
7. Fire consumes the attacking army.
8. Satan is tossed into a lake of burning sulphur.
9. They will be tormented day and night forever.
10. The dead are judged and the ones not found in the book of life are thrown into the lake of fire.
How many things can you find wrong with this list? For starters, Satan is let loose at the same time that the rest of the dead, otherwise known as the earthly subjects, are brought back to life. So how difficult do you think it will be for Satan to deceive the majority of humankind that he already fooled once? Pretty easy since it says their number will be like the sand on the seashore. Then there is the human horde getting consumed by fire. Since this army is the majority of humankind, and this happens before the actual judging occurs, who of the unrighteous will there be left to judge?
The jws teach that the dead will be brought back during the 1000 years. And it is during the 1000 years that they will be brought back to perfection. They say that if this is not the case, the anointed would be ruling over a desolate globe.
Like every other topic, the jws miss the obvious. Verse 5 blows away their speculative reasoning. Maybe they forgot about the Armageddon survivors. They try to use Eph. 2:1 to back up this claim. But if you read the verse in context with the surrounding verses, it is obviously talking about the ones ruling with Christ in heaven.
The thought of resurrecting someone just to inform them of their evil deeds and then kill them again does not make any sense. Especially since their sin would have been paid for from dying the first time.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Tree of Life
The original belief that I learned was that God created perfect humans, humans disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge which was the first sin by humans, God punished them with death which in turn would be passed along to all humans since they were the offspring of the first man and woman, and Jesus' sacrifice payed for that sin as a ransom which gave humans the chance to return to that original perfect state of being.
The story sounded so believable when I was an avid jw. But since I left and those blinders came off, I went back and analyzed the story. And immediately I found some discrepancies.
Along with the tree of knowledge was another tree, the tree of life. (Gen 2:9) When Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge, they gained the ability to know good and evil. So apparently they did not have this ability yet. God then stated in Gen 3:22: And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." According to this verse, they did not have the ability to live forever either, and were cut off from the chance to gain that ability. What is so signifigant about this?
Rom. 5:12: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--" This says that death came through sin, meaning that humans would not have died until they had sinned. But if this is the case, why would God have created a tree of life? Why would God drive humans away from it and place guards there to protect it? Since humans did not have the ability to live forever unless they had eaten from the tree of life, it seems reasonable to think that they would have died at some point in their lives. So it is pretty obvious that this is a major contradiction.
This also brings into question why Jesus would have been needed in the first place. Without access to the tree of life, it would not have mattered. Since this is the main theme of the entire bible, I find it very curious how such an error was overlooked by anyone professing to be christian.
I'm sure an argument would be raised about whether or not the good people make it to heaven while bad people go to hell. Well, considering that God created both magical trees and humans to reside on the earth, and placed them so close together, it would seem logical that God's intent was for humans to live on earth, not on other planes of existence.
Were the trees symbolic? If that is true, it only creates more problems then if they were literal. No literal trees would mean that sin and death are only symbolic as well, the garden of Eden was not real, and neither were Adam and Eve. And that would be fine except then you need to explain why it was necessary for Jesus to die as a ransom sacrifice. And to suggest that Jesus was only symbolic to a Christian would send them into a frenzy.
It is a discrepancy like this that makes it hard to take the bible as anything other than folklore. If God had created humans as perfect beings, why the need for magical trees to add knowledge of good and bad and the ability to live forever? Not to mention a talking snake and a spinning sword (swords did not exist yet), and humans blamed for failing to recognize the difference between good and bad BEFORE they even had that ability. The need for Jesus to free humans from the penalty of death and yet, humans never had the ability to live forever to begin with.
The story sounded so believable when I was an avid jw. But since I left and those blinders came off, I went back and analyzed the story. And immediately I found some discrepancies.
Along with the tree of knowledge was another tree, the tree of life. (Gen 2:9) When Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of knowledge, they gained the ability to know good and evil. So apparently they did not have this ability yet. God then stated in Gen 3:22: And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." According to this verse, they did not have the ability to live forever either, and were cut off from the chance to gain that ability. What is so signifigant about this?
Rom. 5:12: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--" This says that death came through sin, meaning that humans would not have died until they had sinned. But if this is the case, why would God have created a tree of life? Why would God drive humans away from it and place guards there to protect it? Since humans did not have the ability to live forever unless they had eaten from the tree of life, it seems reasonable to think that they would have died at some point in their lives. So it is pretty obvious that this is a major contradiction.
This also brings into question why Jesus would have been needed in the first place. Without access to the tree of life, it would not have mattered. Since this is the main theme of the entire bible, I find it very curious how such an error was overlooked by anyone professing to be christian.
I'm sure an argument would be raised about whether or not the good people make it to heaven while bad people go to hell. Well, considering that God created both magical trees and humans to reside on the earth, and placed them so close together, it would seem logical that God's intent was for humans to live on earth, not on other planes of existence.
Were the trees symbolic? If that is true, it only creates more problems then if they were literal. No literal trees would mean that sin and death are only symbolic as well, the garden of Eden was not real, and neither were Adam and Eve. And that would be fine except then you need to explain why it was necessary for Jesus to die as a ransom sacrifice. And to suggest that Jesus was only symbolic to a Christian would send them into a frenzy.
It is a discrepancy like this that makes it hard to take the bible as anything other than folklore. If God had created humans as perfect beings, why the need for magical trees to add knowledge of good and bad and the ability to live forever? Not to mention a talking snake and a spinning sword (swords did not exist yet), and humans blamed for failing to recognize the difference between good and bad BEFORE they even had that ability. The need for Jesus to free humans from the penalty of death and yet, humans never had the ability to live forever to begin with.
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